How to make sure your store stands out on Shopify

If you've been thinking about setting up an e-store and you've considered Shopify but you've no idea where to start, or perhaps you've bitten the bullet and have set up a Shopify store, but it hasn't set the world alight - fear not we're here to help. We got some expert advice from a shopify freelance expert, yep you guessed it a fivesquid seller, this time freelance digital and social media expert 'socialfamous'. Here's our guide on how to make sure your store stands out on shopify from creation through to promotion.

1. Choose your niche:

It may seem obvious but the very first thing to do, is to find a great niche online, something unique and simple but with enough demand in the market - you need to sell something that people want. Or if you find that niche is too tricky, you might look for an evergreen offering, these would be something that has:

A proven track record;

High demand;

Lots of easy to find customers online;

Endless products on sale;

Lots of websites, social media groups and forums;

In a nutshell do some research, it makes sense to work in an area that you know there is money to be made.

2. Find a great business name:

Easier said than done we know! Look for a name that represents your business ideas and products, that is easy to remember but unique (it's a recurring theme). Take your time to choose the right name, as it can make or break your business - no pressure there then! Shopify have this nifty tool to help you find a domain for your business it's worth throwing some ideas around to see what domains are available.

3. Open your Shopify account:

It's easy and takes less than 2 minutes to register for an account - we like easy! And if you'd like to test out shopify first you can enjoy a 14 day free trial here.

4. Now, it's time to bring your store to life and choose a theme:

Between picking your product category and actually launching your store, there’s one important step: deciding on the best Shopify theme for your store. Shopify make it super easy to launch a store, however, each step in the creation of your store has to be carefully considered in order to succeed. Just like choosing a product category that is too broad or too narrow, a poor looking store will turn your prospective customers off at first glance. It’s easy to find great Shopify templates. There are several Shopify themes you can choose from and there are even a few free themes.

5. Don't hesitate to look for help:

It's important to focus on what you know best and let other professionals work with you on the road to success. If creating your store has become too exhausting or time consuming do seek help. Now where could you find someone to help with that?... yep fivesquid have more Shopify services than you've had hot dinners with services from £5 it's worth delegating.

6. Drive traffic and promote your store:

Your store launches only once. You want to use the launch as a chance to get as much traffic and attention as you can. Before you become a seasoned marketer with big sales, you need to make sure your audience can find your product online. There are a number of things that you can do to get traffic and take advantage of a grand opening:

Send free samples to Instagram influencers

Reach out to bloggers and press

Post your store to reddit

Offer giveaways on your Facebook business page

Get friends and family to share

Engage on Twitter

Find traffic and SEO services on fivesquid

Invest in Google AdWords

Start a referral program

Start an email marketing campaign

We know there's a lot to think about when setting up your own e-commerce store, but platforms like shopify make it easy and with a range of affordable services available on fivesquid you can have your store set up and promoted without remortgaging. If you thought opening an online store was too expensive think again. Let us know once you've set up shop - we'll be sure to have a look inside. Good luck!